Building capacity: Navigating organizational opportunities as if they were a subway system

8th Annual NW Diversity Learning Series (2006)

Initiating and negotiating difficult conversations:
"Undiscussables" Questions: Results from Caucus Groups

As part of the second session of the NW Diversity Learning Series (March 23, 2006), the presenters divided the session's participants into four caucus groups: women of color, white women, men of color, and white men. Participants were asked to come up with "undiscussables," or questions related to access to opportunities and career development. One of the requirements for formulating the questions was to avoid using political correctness. As long as people speak in politically correct terms, the presenters contented it is difficult to have an honest conversation.

Our presenters asked caucus groups to answer the following question:

What questions (often undiscussable) do you have about enhancing access to opportunity and career development that if discussed would deepen your ability to partner effectively across difference?

Participants then took the questions into to the next exercise, the dialogue group, to discuss them with their peers, practicing the Partnership Skills.

The four groups identified the following questions:

Women of Color:

1. Why do you get to use my ideas and take credit for them - and I try to use them for promotions and it doesn't work?
2. Why do you think I am being aggressive when I am being authorative in my opinion or position?
3. Why do you look through me as if I am invisible?
4. When I asked for mentorship/development, why is the answer "at my level, I can't help you?"
5. When I look at leadership demographics, why would I think there would be opportunity for me?
6. Why do people of color put higher expectations on each other when there are opportunities to support each other?
7. If I am promoting a woman, why do you assume that it is favoritism as opposed to skills?
8. Why do I have to sell myself when you can see the results?

White Women:

1. Why are loud, self-promoting white men promoted and given credit more than white women?
2. If I am assertive and direct why am I called a bitch?
3. Why do white men see us as "bitchy" when we are efficient and assertive?
4. Why do I feel I am valued less if I have family responsibilities?
5. Why is it assumed that if I have children I would not be as dedicated to the job?
6. Why does my personal life impact your judgments about my abilities?
7. Why is it expected that as a person from a different cultural background I must assimilate into white men culture to succeed?
8. What can women of all races do to better support each other?
9. How do I break the glass ceiling barriers?
10. How do we as white women feel less isolated and/or defensive when dealing with white men and women of color?
11. Why is it worse when I am late with sick child and it is not a problem when a male colleague is late because he missed the ferry?
12. When women work together, why do we judge ourselves harshly based on appearance instead of on knowledge and abilities that are critical for advancement?

Men of Color:

1. Why do I need to self-promote if I don't feel comfortable?
2. As a minority male, do I have to act "whiter" than a white male to be promoted?
3. Does my accent help or hinder my chance for promotion?
4. Do you feel a glass ceiling exists?
5. Why are white women benefiting the most from diversity?
6. Do corporations truly see the value in diversity?

White Men:

1. Why do women managers feel they need to overcompensate (e.g. be more aggressive, outspoken, etc.)?
2. Why are companies promoting diversity over abilities in areas of pay, promotion, and growth?
3. Why are white guys always the target?
4. What behaviors do I exhibit that make you uncomfortable having a conversation about promotion/advancement?
5. Do you feel I am not responding appropriately because I am a white man?
6. Is my position - physical - intimidating our ability to communicate?
7. As a company what are we doing to promote and encourage diverse cultures into positions?
8. As a white man, why do I feel everyone else is different and I am not?
9. Why can't we focus more on inclusion and not always on diversity?
10. As I am a white man, why do you assume I am not the most qualified candidate?

The second session of the NW Diversity Learning Series (March 23, 2006) focused on understanding how to engage, negotiate, and manage difficult conversations about access to opportunities and career development.

Our assumption was that white men, whose culture more closely aligns with organizational culture, might have a different experience and different questions and/or concerns regarding access than white women and people of color.

The 2006 NW Diversity Learning Series (now in its 9th year) focused on the theme, Building Capacity: Navigating organizational opportunities as if they were a subway system.

Using the metaphor of a subway system, each of the six-bi-monthly morning seminars explored some of the ways that access to organizational opportunities and career development are hidden and therefore more difficult for women and people of color, as well as people who speak English as a second language, to utilize. The purpose of this Series was for everyone to become more aware of organizational culture and how it impacts building people's capacity, and for everyone, managers and employees, to become better at navigating these cultural obstacles along career paths.

For more information about the NW Diversity Learning Series, please visit the Series section of our website.

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